Can opener



J. MASCOLA Oct. 5, 1954 CAN OPENER 5 Sheet's-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 INVENTOR. $055 14 MAscoLA wkfaum wmm #AQa/w'ahan Arraezvsxs J. MASCOLA Oct. 5, 1954 CAN OPENER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 INVENTOR.

J'OJEPH M45 CO 4.4

Oct. 5, 1954 J. MASCOLA 2,690,855

CAN OPENER Filed Jan. 8, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Oct. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER Joseph Mascola, North Bellmore, N. Y.

Application January 8, 1954, SerialNo. 402,853

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a can opener and more particularly to a can opener of the type employed for opening cans having tear strips, or panels which are designed to wind in successive convolutions to render the contents of the can accessible.

The primary object of this invention is to facilitate the opening of cans of the type referred to and the removal of the tear strip or panel from the can opener to place it in a condition for reuse.

Another object is to facilitate the starting of the opening of a can so as to place the tear strip or panel in condition to be engaged by the shank of the can opener and wound thereon.

A further object is to increase the friction with which the tear strip or panel is held on the shank of the can opener during the opening of the can.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a shank, a handle carried by the shank adjacent one end thereof, said shank having a slot extending transversely therethrough and opening toward the end thereof remote from the handle, a sleeve mounted on the shank for movement longitudinally thereon, and a yoke spanning the handle and connected to the sleeve for moving the sleeve longitudinally on the shank away from the handle to eject from the shank a tear strip coiled thereabout.

Other features include a pivotal connection between the sleeve and the yoke to enable the yoke to lie in an inactive position parallel with the handle and to be moved into an active position in which it lies parallel to the shank, and stops carried by the handle for engaging the yoke and guiding it while it is being moved to eject a tear strip coiled about the shank.

Still other features include a punch carried by the shank for producing an opening in a tear strip or panel having no tongue, and a hook carried by the handle for entrance into the opening produced by the shank, and a fulcrum on the handle and cooperating with the hook in bending the perforated tear strip into a position to be gripped by the shank.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a can opener embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the can opener illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the can opener illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure.4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the can opener showing one manner of use thereof in opening a sardine can of the type having a tongue extending from one end thereof;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, showing the panel of the can of Figure 6 partially surrounding the shank of the can opener;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the can opener piercing a can of a modified type;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, showing the can after it has been pierced and the can opener employed to lift a portion of the pierced panel thereof preparatory to winding the panel on the shank;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the can opener employed by a can of the type having a tear strip by which the cover is separated from the body of the can; and

Figure 11 is a perspective View of the can opener showing the ejector partially advanced toward a tear strip wound on the shank.

Referring to the drawings in detail, this improved can opener comprises a shank designated generally It to one end of which is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured a handle designated generally [2. The shank I0 is provided with longitudinally spaced transversely extending slots M which open toward the end of the shank remote from the handle l2 and which are provided with sinuous walls, as illustrated in Figure 5, to increase the frictional contact of the shank with the tongue or panel to be removed from a can. Formed on the end of the shank l0 remote from the handle I2 is a sharpened prong l6 which is of slightly less diameter or cross sectional area than the shank to define at its junction with the shank a shoulder [8 which serves to limit the distance that the prong may enter a can. As illustrated in the drawings, the shank is provided adjacent its end remote from the prong with longitudinally spaced transversely extending openings 20, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

The handle above referred to comprises a channel-shaped body 22 having formed in one side flange thereof an opening 2d substantially midway between opposite ends of the handle for the reception of the shank l0 and formed in the adjacent web of the handle 22 are transversely spaced openings 26 which are adapted to align with the openings 20 in the shank and receive rivets 28 by means of which the handle and shank are rigidly connected together with the handle extending perpendicularly to the shank across one end thereof. Mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the shank I0 is a sleeve 30 carrying adjacent the end remote from the handle l2 an outstanding annular flange 32 and extending longitudinally from the sleeve 30 adjacent the end thereof remote from the flange 32 are diametrically spaced ears 34 to which are pivotally connected by rivets 36 the opposite legs 38 of a yoke designated generally 40 which spans the handle I2, as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings, and carries at one end a knob 42 by means of which the yoke may be moved longitudinally to advance the sleeve 30 and ejector flange 32 along the shank Ill.

Carried by the handle and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent one side thereof is a stop 44 which extends into the path of movement of a leg 38 of the yoke 40 to limit the movement of the yoke when it lies parallel to the handle 12. A similar stop 46 is carried by the same side of the handle and projects outwardly therefrom to limit movement of the yoke when it extends perpendicularly to the handle and this stop also serves as a guide for cooperation with a similar guide 48 carried by the handle for engaging a leg 38 of the yoke 40 and guiding the yoke while the latter is moving the sleeve 50 longitudinally on the shank In in the operation of ejecting a coiled tear strip from the shank. A detent 50 is carried by the handle adjacent the end thereof adjacent the stop 44 for engaging the knob 42 of the yoke 48 and releasably holding the yoke 40 in parallel relation to the handle l2. Carried by the handle and extending longitudinally therefrom adjacent the end thereof remote from that carrying the detent 50 is a hook 52 which, as illustrated in Figure 9, is adapted to engage in a perforation in the tear strip of a can and the adjacent side flanges of the handle 12 are curved as at 54 to define fulcrums which cooperate with the hook and bending the can panel upwardly, as illustrated in Figure 9, to provide a tongue by means of which the panel may be torn from the can.

In use, it will be obvious that when the can opener is employed with a can of the type illustrated in Figure 6, having a tongue T projecting therefrom, the tongue is introduced into a slot I4, and the shank I is rotated by turning the handle l2 about the axis of the shank to roll the panel of the can about the shank, as suggested in Figure '7. After the panel has been completely rolled on the shank i0 and removed from the can, the convolutions of the rolled panel can be readily removed from the shank by moving the yoke 40 into the position illustrated in Figure 11 and advancing it longitudinally of the shank to cause the sleeve 30 and flange 32 to engage the coiled anel or tear strip to discharge it from the end of the shank i0, remote from the handle l2.

In some instances the panel or tear strip may not be provided with a tongue T in which event the sharpened end I6 of the shank I6 is driven through the panel substantially, as illustrated in Figure 8, and then the hook 52 is engaged in the opening formed in the panel so that upon rocking the handle l2 toward the can, the adjacent end of the panel will be turned upwardly, as suggested in Figure 9, to provide a tongue which may be engaged by the serrated surfaces of a slot l4 so that the panel may be rolled on to the shank and thus removed from the can. Obviously, the rolled panel may be discharged from the shank in the manner previously described and as suggested in Figure 11.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that a can opener of the type herein described can be used in a multiplicity of ways to remove tear strips or panels from cans to expose the contents thereof and the tear strip or panel can be readily dischargedfrom the can opener after it has been removed from the can.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A can opener comprising a shank, a handle carried by the shank and extending transversely thereacross adjacent one end thereof, said shank having a slot extending transversely therethrough and opening toward the end thereof remote from the handle, a sleeve mounted on the shank for movement longitudinally thereon, and a yoke spanning the handle and pivotally connected to the sleeve for movement in an arcuate path from an inactive position in which it lies parallel to the handle to an active position in which it lies parallel with the shank, said yoke being adapted to move the sleeve longitudinally on the shank to eject from the shank a tear strip coiled thereabout.

2. A can opener comprising a shank, a handle carried by the shank and extending transversely thereacross adjacent one end thereof, said shank having a slot extending transversely therethrough and opening toward the end thereof remote from the handle, a sleeve mounted on the shank for movement longitudinally thereon, a yoke spanning the handle and pivotally connected to the sleeve for movement in an arcuate path from an inactive position in which it lies parallel to the handle to an active position in which it lies parallel with the shank, said yoke being adapted to move the sleeve longitudinally on the shank to eject from the shank a tear strip coiled thereabout, and guide stops carried by the handle and extending outwardly therefrom in the arcuate path for engaging the yoke and arresting movement thereof beyond predetermined limits in the arcuate path.

3. A can opener comprising a shank, a handle carried by the shank and extending transversely thereacross adjacent one end thereof, said shank having a slot extending transversely therethrough and opening toward the end thereof remote from the handle, a sleeve mounted on the shank for movement longitudinally thereon, a yoke spanning the handle and pivotally connected to the sleeve for movement in an arcuate path from an inactive position in which it lies parallel to the handle to an active position in which it lies parallel with the shank, said yoke being adapted to move the sleeve longitudinally on the shank to eject from the shank a tear strip coiled thereabout, guide stops carried by the handle and extending outwardly therefrom in the arcuate path for engaging the yoke and arresting movement thereof beyond predetermined limits in the arcuate path, and a detent carried by the handle and extending outwardly therefrom into the arcuate path for operatively engaging the yoke and releasably holding it in substantial parallel relation to the handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,370,081 Sebell Feb. 20, 1945 2,535,354 Flynn Dec. 26, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 805,942 France Sept. 7, 1936 

